Stories of the Zs
by Lezalith
Summary: Stories of the MineZ world, of the few days before and after the plague began. How it affected different parts of the world, how people became heroes and heroes became monsters. Nine stories telling the tale, which changed the world forever.
1. Carmi

I was born to a poor family in the slums. As far as I know, my parents were sometimes hungry so that I could eat. They used me as a thing to beg money with. If I could blame them back then, I wouldn't do it thought. They were trying to survive, and if there was one of us who was to die last, it was supposed to be me. They both loved me with all they had.

Or so I thought. Father left us when I was twelve. I couldn't stop crying for three days. All I could think about was how happy we all were, how they tried to raise me, no matter of circumstances... But then, he just boarded a ship and left. My mother commited suicide few days after.

I was left alone, with noone to guide me. So I just roamed the streets.

 **"Pretty face ya got." "Such a sweet lil' lady."** Those were the only things I heard when walking in the docks. Sometimes I replied. I had no other choice.

It lasted for years. At age of sixteen, I slept with a captain, who agreed to take me on his ship in return. I was going to get away from this damned city at any cost. Somewhere far away.

And I did. I went to a small coastal town called Carmi.

 **"I'd swear I've seen ya face before."** Was the first thing I heard when I got off the ship. It was from a dock worker.  
 **"Not possible. I'm not from around here."** I replied.  
 **"Ja, you look like it."** He nodded his head and came closer. **"I have a memory like a library. There was... a man. He had the same eyes."  
"Do you always look into men's eyes?" **I replied with laughter in my voice.  
 **"We all have our customs. Who was it, then?"** He didn't let the thought go.  
 **"Could've been my father. Haven't seen him for years."** It hurt my hear to talk about him. It shouldn't. It was him who left me.  
 **"You are Andriane, aren't you."** The voice was so confident. More than that freaked me out the fact that he was correct.  
 **"How do you know my name?"** I asked. He shrugged his shoulders and got back to work. **"Tell me!"** I insisted.  
 **"Come to The Rose tonight."** He smiled.  
I was mad at him. Why couldn't he just tell me? Why wouldn't he? I left.

I found the "Rose" he was talking about later that day. It was a pub, right between docks and townsmen quaters. Seemed nice enough, enough for me to be willing spend the bit money I had there. I rented a room, I got a warm meal into my belly.  
And in the evening, everyone in the pub stood up and left in a hurry. I asked why are they leaving, nobody answered. **"I'm not gonna be part of the herd"** , I said to myself.  
And then, a man walked in. He seemed lifeless, he didn't have much colour on his face. **"Are you alright, sir?"** The bit of good manners I had left in me showed up and I asked.  
 **"Whether I am alright? Are you alright?"** He looked at me with red, dead eyes.  
 **"What do you mean by tha-"  
"Or are you FUCKED up in THE HEAD?"** He didn't let me finish my sentence. I was scared.  
Another one came in. **"She is new."** Woman's voice this time. Yet she looked similar. **"Leave her alone."**  
 **"But..."** The man wanted to argue, the woman finished it quickly.  
 **"Once you are my husband, you will obey."** The man didn't answer. Just backed away from me. **"What's your name, dear?"** The woman asked me.  
 **"I'm Andriane."** She seemed kind enough for me to overcome my fear and answer.  
 **"Andriane, you know this place?"  
"No, I've never... Never been here." **I said by the truth.  
 **"This is where the revenants come to drink. The ghosts. Nobody is supposed to be here."** Just as she said that, more people started to walk in. Everyone seemed like those two, lifeless.  
 **"But- But I was told to come here."** I replied. Woman seemed surprise.  
 **"Yes. She is invited."**

I turned around and saw someone that I know.  
 **"You left me."** I wanted to say so many nice things. I wanted to hug him, to tell him how I missed him. The way I said that, it was colder than any of the bodies around us.  
 **"I had no choice. Please, trust me."**  
 **"I don't want that!"** I shouted. **"I want an explanation."**  
 **"There is a treasure here. I heard about it back home."**  
 **"Is that why you left us? Because of... A treasure?"** Tears appeared in my eyes. **"Mom killed herself because of you!"  
"I will make up for it. For everything. We have to hurry thought. Noone leaves." **He whispered.  
I was just crying. Not looking at others, as they looked at the body of my father. **"Noone leaves."** They all said at once.  
 **"Run!"** I just heard. And so I did. I ran.

I followed my father, as the ghosts decided to give chase. We passed the watchtower, then the mine, then the woodcutter's shed. We ran, and we ran, it was like I can't feel my feet anymore. And just before I fell on the ground, father stopped in front of a rock.  
 **"I was not able to do this while alive."** I didn't notice it back then, but he was sad. More sad than anything I've ever seen. He walked into the rock, then walked out again, with a treasure chest in his hands. He handed it to me. **"Please. Live a happy life."** The ghosts appeared. They had knives and swords, and began to stab my father. I tried to stop them, but I... I couldn't. They wouldn't let me.  
 **"I'm sorry, young girl. Noone leaves."** The woman that spoke to me before said that.

And then, it was dawn.  
The ghosts disappeared, only a corpse of my father was there.  
I opened the treasure chest and saw tons of gold. I wen't back to the town and bought a house. Soon, I found a nice husband that loved me with all he had.  
Was it worth it? To see both of your parents die, and one of them even twice?  
Father sacrificed so much so I can have something my parents didn't.  
And after I burried my father and grieved for several weeks, I became a trader and began to help others, and... and...

I think I was happy. Finally, once in my life truly happy.  
I was sure this is the end of misery and pain.  
I was sure that only good things would happen after that.  
I couldn't have been more wrong.


	2. Aurora

In the process of writing!


End file.
